Asm. Don Guardian

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes New Jersey's "Rural Business Development Program" through the Economic Development Authority (EDA), providing $35 million in federal pandemic relief funds to support rural small businesses. The program offers grants to qualifying rural businesses (defined as small farms or food systems in rural census tracts) for retaining or creating local jobs. The EDA must create a revolving fund with the $35 million, set application procedures, and require grantees to report quarterly on how funds were used for job creation. It directly affects rural small businesses meeting specific sustainability and location criteria within New Jersey.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a three-year pilot program in New Jersey to divert eligible defendants with behavioral health needs from prison into court-supervised treatment programs instead of standard sentencing. It applies to individuals who have undergone a professional assessment, show no history of firearm use or serious violent offenses, are not repeat offenders, and pose no community risk - requiring them to complete a licensed treatment program. Violations of probation terms may lead to revocation and prison sentencing, though successful completion allows applicants to seek expungement of related criminal records. The program aims to reduce prison demand while addressing behavioral health issues through treatment.

Maddy summaryThis bill exempts sales of passenger automobiles to honorably discharged veterans with a service-connected disability from New Jersey's sales and use tax. It directly affects eligible veterans who purchased a passenger vehicle (defined as standard cars for passenger transport, excluding buses) after the law takes effect. The exemption applies to the sale price only if the veteran's disability was verified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as incurred during military service. The bill defines "service-connected disability" and clarifies that "passenger automobile" excludes commercial vehicles like school buses.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency to create a statewide database tracking real-time shelter bed availability for homeless individuals, using the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). It directly affects homeless shelters (excluding domestic violence shelters) that receive state funding from the Departments of Community Affairs or Human Services, requiring them to update bed availability within one hour of changes. Shelters must cooperate with the database to maintain eligibility for state funding, enabling operators to quickly direct people to available beds in nearby facilities. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides tax credits to New Jersey long-term care facilities that increase single-occupancy residential units by at least five percent. The credit amounts to $100 for every five percent increase, capped at $2,000 per tax year, and applies against either corporation business tax or gross income tax. It covers licensed facilities including nursing homes, assisted living residences, and dementia care homes under state law. Facilities must meet the five percent increase requirement during the taxable year to qualify for the credit.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a grant program to support nonprofit veteran organizations that provide military funeral honors in New Jersey. Qualified organizations - those with IRS tax-exempt status under 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) - will receive grants of up to $75 per funeral service, with potential reductions for multiple services on the same day based on actual costs like mileage. The program is administered by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, using a special revolving fund financed by state appropriations, donations, and other designated sources. Organizations must apply through department-developed procedures and enter into grant agreements to access funding.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides New Jersey employers with a tax credit equal to 15% of qualified wages paid to eligible disabled veterans, capped at $1,800 per veteran per year. It directly affects employers who hire residents of New Jersey who are honorably discharged veterans with a 30%+ service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and who are employed for at least 185 business days. The credit applies to wages paid between January 2017 and January 2020, with restrictions preventing double-dipping for the same wages used in other state tax credits or programs. Employers must not displace existing workers to hire veterans solely for the credit, and unused credits may be carried forward for up to seven years.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey's state government to create a centralized, publicly accessible database on the state's official website listing all state programs. It mandates that each state department or agency provide standardized information for every program, including program details, eligibility criteria (like age or income), application processes, and direct links to applications. The database must organize programs by eligibility categories and allow keyword searches, with each program page showing the most recent update date. This affects all state departments/agencies that offer public programs and aims to make accessing state services clearer for residents.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires New Jersey general acute care hospitals to add fentanyl testing to standard urine drug screenings when diagnosing a patient's condition. It applies to all hospitals licensed under state law that conduct such screenings, which currently test for drugs like cocaine and opioids but not fentanyl. The law aims to help identify fentanyl exposure - often mixed into other drugs without users' knowledge - to enable timely treatment for potential overdoses, as fentanyl is highly potent and linked to rising overdose deaths. The requirement takes effect immediately and expires on January 1, 2028.

Maddy summaryNew Jersey Assembly Bill A113 requires retail stores to allow customers with specific medical conditions (like Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, or ostomy device needs) to use employee restrooms during business hours under strict conditions. Stores must permit access if three or more employees are present, no public restroom is nearby, the restroom is safe, and using it won’t create health/safety risks. The bill explicitly states stores aren’t required to modify restrooms and protects them from civil liability for non-willful negligence. Violations carry a $500 fine per offense, enforced by health departments or municipal courts. It excludes small service stations (under 800 sq ft with employee restrooms) from coverage.